This coin was gifted to me by my friend and numismatic mentor @AnYangMan. It's a challenge to photograph, as the patina is evenly grey, and the details worn - as most denari of Marcus Antonius. Yet, in hand, the details are easily readable, and it's a splendid coin with rich history: ROMAN REPUBLIC, Marcus Antonius. Denomination: AR Denarius, minted: Military mint, moving with Marcus Antonius; 32-31 BC Obv: Praetorian galley right; ANT • AVG III VIR • R • P • C around Rev: Aquila between two signa; LEG XVII • CLASSICAE above Weight: 2.83g; Ø:18mm. Catalogue: BMC 223; Crawf. 544/10; Sear 373; Syd. 1238.. Provenance: Ex. van Eldijk collection; acq.: 05-2020 Marcus Antonius and his wife Cleopatra VII struck legionary denari of debased quality in large quantities, for the twenty-three legions that were fighting on his side against the forces of Octavian and his buddy Agrippa. ROMAN PROVINCIAL, Agrippa and Augustus. Denomination: AE Dupondius (halved), minted: Colonia Nemausus (current Nimes, France); 10-14 AD Obv: IMP DIVI F. Back-to-back heads of Agrippa, wearing rostral crown, and Augustus, bare (cut off). Rev: COL NEM. Palm shoot, crocodile before, two wreaths with long ties trailing above palm tip Weight: 3.99g; Ø:14 mm. Provenance: Ex private collection; acq.: 02-2019 Three legions were honored with supplementary issues that list their honorific title: XII Antiqae, XVII Classicae and XVIII Lybicae. After the battle of Actium on the 2nd of September in 31 BC, the forces of Marcus Antonius were defeated, and he and Cleopatra fled to Egypt where they committed suicide. Please show your named legionary denari, coins of Agrippa, Octavian, Cleopatra or Marcus Antonius.
What a historic and appealing coin, @Roerbakmix ! And how gratious of @AnYangMan to gift it to you! The ancients board here at CT has the nicest members! I'll take this thread as an opportunity to post this cistophorus. Antony and Octavia. AR cistophorus, 25.6 mm, 11.71 gm. Ephesus, 39 BCE. Obv: M ANTONINVS IMP COS DESIG ITER ET TERT, Jugate heads of Marcus Antonius and Octavia to right; he wears ivy wreath. Rev: III VIR RPC, Cista mystica surmounted by figure of Bacchus, standing to left, holding cantharus and leaning on thyrsus; on either side, coiled serpent. Refs: SNG Cop. 408; SNG von Aulock 6555; Franke KZR 472; RSC 3; Sydenham 1198; RPC 2202; Sear 1513; BMCRR East 135-137.
Great gift and great coin, @Roerbakmix! I have a 'regular' legionary denarius, but I'll take the opportunity to show this one again.
My only Mark Anthony: Silver Denarius Traveling legionary mint Obv: ANT AVG / IIIVIR RPC - Galley Rev: LEG XIX - Legionary eagle between two standards 17mm, 3.4g.
WOW, VERY nice gifts, @Roerbakmix ! I will toss out an Agrippa: RI Augustus oak crown Agrippa rostral crown L AE Dupondius 26mm 12.6g 10-14CE Nemausus chained Croc snake wreaths RIC I 158
Excellent gift! Here's a XII Antiqae: MARK ANTONY AR Denarius. 3.78g, 19mm. Military mint (Patrae?), autumn 32 - spring 31 BC. Crawford 544/9. O: ANT AVG above, Praetorian galley right with rowers, III VIR R P C below. R: LEG XII ANTIQVAE, Legionary eagle (aquila) between two standards (signa). Ex Andrew McCabe Collection
I believe @Bing has the most extensive collection of Mark Antony legionary denarii on the forum. I have but a humble example:
I have a near complete set with some duplicates. The only Legions missing are ones that are non-existant or extremely rare, i.e., Legio PRE and Legio IIX. I'm on my way to a second complete set, but still have many to go.
Great acquisition and gesture from your mentor and friend. I'll throw in something else than the Legion denarius I usually show on these occasions, as people will end up completely bored. For a change here's a portrait denarius with more accurate features than the cartoonish style they have so often Mark Antony, Denarius Struck in a travelling mint, moving with Mark Antony in 41 BC ANT AVG IMP III VI R P C, Head of Mark Antony right Fortuna standing left, holding rudder in right hand and cornucopiae in left; at feet, stork; below, PIETAS COS 3,82 gr - 20 mm Ref : Crawford # 516/2, Sydenham # 1174, HCRI # 241, C # 77 Ex. Auctiones.GmbH The following comment is copied from NAC auction # 52/294 about the very rare corresponding aureus : The year 41 B.C., when this aureus was struck at a mint travelling in the East with Marc Antony, was a period of unusual calm for the triumvir, who took a welcomed, if unexpected, rest after the great victory he and Octavian had won late in 42 B.C. against Brutus and Cassius at the Battle of Philippi. Antony’s original plan of organising an invasion of Parthia was put on hold after he sailed to Tarsus, where he had summoned Cleopatra VII, the Greek queen of Egypt. She was to defend herself against accusations that she had aided Brutus and Cassius before Philippi, but it is generally agreed that the summons was merely a pretext for Antony’s plan to secure aid for his Parthian campaign. Their meeting was anything but a source of conflict; indeed, they found much common ground, including their agreement that it was in their mutual interests to execute Cleopatra’s sister and rival Arsinoe IV, who had been ruling Cyprus. In addition to sharing political interests, the two agreed that Antony would winter in Egypt to share a luxurious vacation with Cleopatra that caused a further postponement of Antony’s designs on Parthia. Thus began another of the queen’s liaisons with noble Romans, a prior having been Julius Caesar (and, according to Plutarch, Pompey Jr. before him). During the course of his stay in Egypt Cleopatra was impregnated, which resulted in twins born to her in 40 B.C. But this care-free period was only a momentary calm in the storm, for trouble was brewing in both the East and the West. Early in 40 B.C. Syria was overrun by the Parthians, seemingly while Antony travelled to Italy to meet Octavian following the Perusine War, in which Octavian defeated the armies of Antony’s wife and brother. The conflict with Octavian was resolved when they signed a pact at Brundisium in October, and Syria was eventually recovered through the efforts of Antony’s commanders from 40 to 38 B.C. Q